Protector for automobile-tires.



.J. S. EHRIUH.

PROTEGTOR FOR AUTOMOBILE TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED 13120.3,1908.

965,698, v Patented July .2 1910.

miww g a l.

JACOB s. EHRICH, or LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA.

' rno'rno'ron non AUroMoBrLE-rmns.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 26, 1910.

Applicationfiled December 3, 1908. Serial No. 465,870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAcoB' S. EHRICH, a

citizen of the United States, residing at- Lynchburg, in the county ofCampbell and State of Virginia, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Protectors .for Automobile-Tires, of which the followingis a specification. v

The present invention relates to protectors for tires, particularly thepneumatic tire commonly used on automobiles, and has for its object toprovide an armor which may be readily placed u on the tire, or displacedtherefrom, which will be retained in position upon the tire wheninflated without the necessity of extraneous holding devices, which willprotect the tire from attacks of dust, water and the like, and which,while protecting the tire against puncture, will not detract from itsresiliency, and furthermore the improved armor which I have devised isof such character that a good tread or gripping surface which willprevent skidding of themaohine is-provided. I

In order that the invention may be clear to those skilled in the art, Ihave illustrated l in the accompanying drawing, one embodiment of theinvention, and in said drawing: Figure 1 is a View of a wheel having apneumatic tire provided with my improved armor which isshown in section.Fig. 2 is a'sectional view to show the relation of the armor and thetire. Fig. 3 is a sectional View of the armor removed from the tire;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view to show a slightly different form of grippingand sealing Fig. 5-is a'detail view'showing a means.

portion of the gripping rings shown in fieferring to the drawing bynumerals, like numbers indicating like parts in the several views, 2denotes the tire which may,

be of any suitable or preferred form, the form shownbeing of theclencher type, as indicated in Flg. 2.

The protector with which the tire is equipped comprises a continuousband. or ring 3 of rigid material, preferably metal,

whlch is curved so as to conform generally to thejcrosssectional'contour of the tire,

the saidband 3 being provided at each side with bulged out portions 4:to form a chamber into which t e tire may expand'under 1 compression inorder that the resiliency of the tire may not be interfered with, itbeing obvious that unless this provision for expansion was made thepneumatic tire would be so closely confined and gripped that itsresiliency in use would be seriously interfered with.

In order that dirt, water and the like may be prevented from creeping inbetween the band 3 and the tire 2, I provide the depending wings of theband 3 with elastic mem -bers 5, preferably rubber, which wings-are inthe form of endless bands or hoops, so made and mounted as to hug thetire 2 closely, as best shown in Fig. 2. These Wings 5 extending towithin a short distance V of the rim f. the wheel, and being incontinuous and gripping engagement with the tire surface so as to make asealed joint bctween the tire 2 and the protector 3, and effectuallyguard against the creeping of dirt, or water in between the tire and theprotector. The elastic Wings 5 also protect the tire fromunnecessary.wearon its sides,

a result which would follow were the uncovered metal wings of theprotector to contact with the sides and rub thereon as the'parts rotate.

The protector 3 is preferably provided on its upper face With a pocketor recess formed by projecting wlngs 7, in whichtpocket is mounted asingle tire of a series of rubber tires 8, preferably of the conicalform shown, so as to give a corrugated tread surface whicli willefi'ectually prevent side slipping or skidding, and willform a goodtread sur ace for the wheel.

The rotector can be readily placed upon the or i-nary tire by simplydeflating the tire, placing the protector in position about the wheel.and then inflating the tire which will expand into the protector,filling and engaging it and holding it firmly in posi' tion without thenecessity of extraneous fastening means, for it will be observed thatthe elastic gripping wings 5 engage the tire on either side at pointsbelow the center thereof and danger of lateral displacement of theprotector by reason of side thrusts, is eliminated.

It will be seen thatwith this form ofx-protector all of the resiliencyof .the tire is preserved, for the protector being supported entirely bythe tire and not being connected with the rigid rim of the wheel is freeto move as the tire yields and furthermore, the bulging portions 4 ofthe protector provide for ex ansion of the tire under compression,

and a ditionally, the elastic gripping wings will permit ex ansion ofthe tire so that no confinement of the tire due to the ipping action ofthe rotector can possibly" occur, and all desirab e springiness ispreserved.

Instead of gripping and'sealing members "5 heretofore described, I mayuse the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in which the protector wings9 are preferably shaped as shown, and against the inner eripheries ofthese depending wings 9, I p ace elastic rin s or hoops 10 of rubber,these sealing an gripping wings being held in placeb means ofspringrings 11, which are expan ed 'against the rubber rings or strips 10pinching them against the depending wings the protector and iamming themFig. 4., so as to have the same grippingand sealing action that issecured by the use of the members 5 shown in the other views.

While I have shown and described a particular construction in disclosingmy invention, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to themore details of construction,

the construction may be somewithin the range of mechanyet be within thescope of my for obviousl what varied ical skill and invention.

I claim: 1. A tire, protector comprising a metal ring, substantiallysemi-circular in cross section, carried and supported entirelyby ofresilient material, U-shaped in cross-section, fitted over each edge ofsaid metal ring and provided with a resilient strip adapted to bearagainst the side of the tire.

2. A tire protector comprising a metal ring, substantially semi-circularin crosssection, adapted to inclose and protect the early shown in thetread there tread surface of the tire, and a flexible .U- shaped ringsecured on each edge of the tire protector and provided with a flexibleIntegral strip ada ted to hear at all times against the slde o the tire.

3. A tire protector comprising a metal ring, substantially semi-circularin crosssection, to inclose and bear against the tread of the tire, andelastic gripping rings U- shaped in'cro'ss-section attached to the endsof the tire protector and lateral strips adapted to be r against, theside of the tire, and metal rings of similar shape secured over saidelastic rings for retaining the latter in place on the edges of the tireprotector. 4. A tire protector comprising a metal ring, substantiallysemi-circular in cross-. section, to' inclose and bear against the treadof the tire, and elastic gripping rings U- shaped incross-sectionattached to the ends of the tire. protector and provided with lateralstrips adapted to bear a inst the ed e of the tire, and divided springmetal ho ding rings for retaining ping rings on the edges tector.

5. A tire protector comprising a stiff nonresilient ring curved incross-section, carried and supported by said tire and in contact withthe tread portion thereof, and a ring of resilient, material fitted overeach edge of said stifi' rin and bearing against the adjacent side of te tire.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presenceof twosubscribing .w t-

nesses.

. JACOB S. EHRIOH. Witnesses:

A. V. CUsHMAN, ARTHUR L. BRYANT.

provided with the elastic grip- V

